Comparative EssayMcEwan and Williams focus on what it means to be both powerful and powerless in a variety of contexts. Discuss their exploration of these ideas with reference to both male and females. I will be comparing and contrasting Tennessee Williams play of 1947 ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ with Ian McEwen’ novel ‘Enduring Love’ of 1997. I aim to focus on the theme of power as presented by both authors. The first, a play, explores how power shifts between men and women such as the way that Blanche’s character loses the power of her status to become dependent on Stanley. The second looks at the power struggle between two men explored through Joe’s obsession created by Jed whilst still highlighting the power struggle of a woman in the way that Clarissa loses control over Joe. (I will be looking at the many types of power such as; cultural, financial, sexual, psychological...) Both authors show the importance of the power of culture on society; we see the impact that it has on the characters. In Tennessee’s play Blanche panics about the social stigma attached to her being a single woman. Williams uses this character to portray how patriarchal society controlled and held power over women in the 40s. Blanche’s inferiority complex dictates ‘They think a girl over thirty ought to – the vulgar term – “put out.”’ He emphasises her complex about age; she feels she must be in a relationship to comply with the norms and expectations of society. Culture granted men a pre-disposed upper hand by frowning upon single woman thus taking power away from the woman in the form of her independence and giving it to the man by making her dependant on him. Williams displays this through Blanche’s insecurities about a lack of husband especially at her age leading her to rely upon Stanley, depending on his ‘say so’ for shelter and survival. In contrast McEwan’s post feminist character, Clarissa of the 90’s culture gives power to women as portrayed by McEwan’s post feminist...

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...A Streetcar Named DesireEssay Questions
2. Tennessee Williams wrote A Streetcar Named Desire in order to exemplify the basic sexuality of humans. To do this he uses the most primitive bits of human nature and magnifies them into his characters’ personalities. The bare innocence of Stella, the raw masculinity of Stanley, and the sheer insanity of Blanche, all to show uniquely human qualities.
To say that Stanley is an...

...relationship between Art and “reality” in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams.
Two prisoners are looking up at the cell ceiling: one sees nothing but darkness and the other sees stars. A paradox, wouldn’t you agree? Then what does “reality” represent? How can it be one-dimensional when there is no truth, only a myriad of perceptions? Perhaps, “reality” is not a tangible concept, but rather a reflection of a person’s fantasies and fears at...

...find amusing or moving or disturbing.
Explain how the scene provokes this response and discuss how this aspect of the scene contributes to your understanding of the play as a whole.
The penultimate scene of Tennessee William’s play “A Streetcar named Desire” in which the protagonist Blanche Dubois is raped by her brother-in –law, Stanley Kowalski, is deeply disturbing to the audience. Williams uses this scene as a climax of both the play’s plot and a number of...

...Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, which is based on a woman’s false beliefs that slowly lead her into a descent of insanity. Throughout scene three, many subtle cues embedded into Tennessee’s work, which include lighting, stage directions, colors and more are used to help portray the traits of certain characters and especially Blanche Du Bois’ inability to overcome reality.
In conclusion, Tennessee Williams uses many motifs and symbols in his works of...

...appeal for the audience’s sympathy and pity. To what extent do you feel that the character of Blanche DuBois can be viewed as a tragic victim.
Word count = 1,500
By Georgia Tucker
Blanche Dubois, The leading role in Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire is often viewed as a tragic victim - This is a woman who doesn’t want realism, She wants magic, but even despite the way she lives her life, she will always be at the mercy of a very realistic and...

...Walker Percy&#8217;s essay, &#8220;The Loss of the Creature&#8221; describes the experiences that each person goes through as either a genuine experience driven by own desires, or one that is already preconceived by experts. Percy believes that people can only learn from experiences that are driven by pure personal desire, and not experiences already preconceived by experts. Percy describes the &#8220;loss of sovereignty&#8221; as preconceived...

...A Streetcar Named Desire Analysis Essay Outline
I. Topic P
A. Williams uses the complex imagery of light to reveal that, ultimately, Blanche’s attempt to hide her flaws in the dark caused her undermining. To Blanche, light serves as a cruel agent used to expose and to hurt, while the dark shields. Her destruction, like the painful experience of entering sudden and searing brightness after being in a pitch-black room for a long period of time,...

...A Streetcar Named Desire
In what way can A Streetcar Named Desire be seen as an exploration of"old" America versus the "new" America?
In the play, Blanche represents old America and Stanley represents new America. Why Blanche represents old America is because of her way of thinking, lifestyle and values. When Blanche walks into the room where the guys are playing poker, there is a great example of how Blanche represents old and...